Superfluid Inhomogeneity and Microwave Absorption in Model High-T_c Superconductors

We investigate the microwave absorption arising from inhomogeneity in the superfluid density of a model high-T_c superconductor. Such inhomogeneities may arise from a wide variety of sources, including quenched random disorder and static charge density waves such as stripes. We show that both mechanisms will inevitably produce additional absorption at finite frequencies. We present simple model calculations for this extra absorption, and discuss applications to other transport properties in high-T_c materials. Finally, we discuss the connection of these predictions to recent measurements by Corson et al. of absorption by the high-temperature superconductor BSCCO in the THz frequency regime.